Penne with moroccan merguez cream sauce

Merguez is a North African-style lamb sausage seasoned with flavorful Middle Eastern spices. If you can’t find it, substitute any lamb sausage or Spanish chorizo.

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Ingredients:

1 lb penne pasta

3 cups heavy cream

Kosher salt

1/4 cup fresh mint, minced

3 Tbs olive oil

1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

1 lb fresh merguez sausage

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

8 oz mushrooms, finely chopped

Freshly ground black pepper

2 large garlic cloves, crushed

Yield: 4-6 Servings

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt and add pasta. Cook until al dente (about 10 minutes). Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

While the pasta cooks, remove the sausage from casings and break up into small pieces. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a heavy pan over medium heat and add the sausage. Cook for 2 minutes until lightly browned.

Add the onions and garlic cloves, sauté together for 3 minutes until fragrant and soft (you don't want to caramelized the onions). Add the mushrooms and cook 5 minutes until they release their water and become tender.

Add the cream, mint, parsley, and red pepper. Let the sauce cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until it reduces and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat evenly. If sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water. Season with Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.